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Thursday, 14 July 2011

Investigators believe an 8-year-old Brooklyn boy who was abducted and dismembered may have been tied up and tried to fight off his alleged captor before he was killed, police officials said Thursday.

At a news conference, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the man charged in the killing, Levi Aron, had scratches on his arms and wrists — a sign "there was some kind of struggle." There also were marks on the victim's remains that could have been caused by restraints, the commissioner added.

Kelly also confirmed reports that Aron had given a written confession in the gruesome slaying of Kletzky, which concluded with, "I'm sorry for the hurt that I caused."

Beyond that, "He hasn't expressed any remorse," Kelly said.

Kletzky vanished late Monday afternoon after getting lost during what was supposed to have been a seven-block walk from his day camp to a meeting spot with his mother.

Investigators later used a surveillance video to trace the missing boy to Aron, a hardware supply store clerk who the boy had apparently asked for directions.

Detectives found the boy's severed feet, wrapped in plastic, in the man's freezer, as well as a cutting board and three bloody carving knives. A plastic garbage bag with bloody towels was nearby.

Aron also told investigators that after taking Leiby off the street and brought the boy to a wedding in the suburb of Monsey and spent several hours there Monday evening, Kelly said. Other guests at the wedding confirmed Aron was there, but didn't see the boy, the commissioner added.

The suspect told police he killed the child Tuesday in a panic after learning that a massive search was under way.

Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hays said he plans to charge Aron with felony murder, and was also investigating whether he might have had any improper contact with children in the past.

Aron's lawyer, Pierre Bazile, said he expected his client to be arraigned Thursday.

"From the Aron family, they'd like to extend their condolences to the family of the boy," he said, adding they would let the justice system work and would not make any further statements.